Quick Comparison of the GRE®:
Current GRE
New GRE
Availability
Until July 31, 2011 (seats permitting)
Adaptivity
Adapts after you answer a question: if you
answer a question correctly, the next
question is harder; if you answer a
question incorrectly, the next question is
easier
Adapts only after a set of 20 questions has
been answered: if you get a high percent
of questions right, the next set will be
more difficult; if you get a low percent of
questions right, the next set will be easier
Length
About 3 hours to complete
About 4 hours to complete
Scored
Sections
2 essays,
1 math section,
1 verbal section
2 essays
2 math sections,
2 verbal sections
Question
Types
Verbal: Analogies, Antonyms, Sentence
Completion, Reading Comprehension
Math: Quantitative Comparison,
Problem Solving, Data Interpretation
Verbal: Text Completion, Sentence
Equivalence, Reading Comprehension
(with increased focus on short passages)
Math: The same question types with
additional answer formats (numeric
entry and “select all that are correct”)
Navigation
and Test
Interface
Must answer a question before you see
the next question
Cannot change answers once you’ve
answered them
Can move freely within a section and
review answers once you’ve answered
them
Onscreen calculator available
Essay scores:
0-6 in .5 point increments
200-800 in 10 point increments
Essay scores:
0-6 in .5 point increments
130-170 in 1 point increments
Unofficial Scores available the day you
test
Official Scores available to test taker and
grad programs 10-15 days later
Tests taken between August and
November will not be scored until
November or December
By December, tests will be scored
immediately
Scores
Score
Reporting
Cost of
Test
KaplanGRE.com/newtest
$160
1-800-KAP-TEST
Starting August 1, 2011
Expected to be $160,
50% fee reduction in August & September
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2011 New GRE Timeline
March 15: Registration for the new GRE opens.
July 31: Last possible chance to take the current GRE; also the last chance to test for
graduate programs with deadlines before mid-November 2011.
August 1: New test launches. Scores will not begin reporting until end of November 2011.
Mid-November: First scores reported.
Early December: Unofficial Quantitative and Verbal scores available day-of-test; normal
score reporting resumes.
What the New Test Means for You
Question: If I am applying for 1st round graduate school programs next fall, which test should I
take?
Answer: Because scores will not be available for the new GRE until mid-November 2011, you
should take the current GRE to ensure you meet your application deadlines.
Question: Which test is harder?
Answer: There is an objective and a subjective way to think about the difficulty. Objectively, the
new test is longer, and the questions test higher level reasoning skills. On the other hand, there
are new tools (the ability to move freely between questions) that may help test takers.
Subjectively, though, it depends on you and your skill set. If you’re on the fence, our advice is to
take a practice test of each test and see which you do better on. You can download free practice
tests for the current GRE from kaplanGRE.com. You can download a free practice test for the
new GRE from http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/
Question: Will current GRE scores expire when the new GRE is released?
Answer: No. You can use either current GRE scores or new GRE scores for five years from the
day you test. So, if you choose to take the current test, your scores will be good for five years
even if you’re not applying right away.
Question: How can I learn more about the new GRE?
Answer: Kaplan has set up a GRE 2011 Test Change Info Center that is continually updated as
new information about the test becomes available. You can access our Test Change Info Center
from www.KaplanGRE.com/newtest. From here, you can register for events on the new GRE test
and subscribe to our Twitter and Facebook pages for free test tips and graduate school
admissions advice.
GRE® is a registered trademark of the Educational Testing Service. Kaplan materials do not contain actual GRE
items and are neither endorsed by nor affiliated in any way with the ETS.
KaplanGRE.com/newtest
1-800-KAP-TEST
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